​The Ukrainian PM’s statement that Russia plans to cut off gas transit to the Ukraine and Europe is “groundless” and an attempt to mislead EU gas customers, Russian Energy Minister Aleksandr Novak said.

Russia has denied Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk’s
claim that it plans to cut off gas to Ukraine and Europe this
winter.

"We can only qualify the comments as a groundless attempt to
try to deliberately mislead or misinform European customers that
buy Russian gas," Novak told journalists on Wednesday.

Yatsenyuk made the announcement at a government meeting in Kiev
earlier in the day.

"The situation in (Ukraine's) energy sector is difficult. We
know of Russia's plans to block (gas) transit even to European
Union countries this winter," Yatsenyuk said, as quoted by
Reuters. The prime minister did not specify where he received the
information.

On June 16, Gazprom, Russia’s national gas company switched Ukraine to a prepayment system
citing chronic late payments, with debts now more than $5 billion.

Russia turned off gas to Ukraine in 2006 and 2009 over unpaid
bills and pricing disputes.

Ukraine imports nearly 50 percent of its gas from Russia, which
in 2013 amounted to 27.7 billion cubic meters. If Ukraine cuts
off Russian gas transit, it would hit Europe, which sources 15
percent of its energy from Russia.

Gazprom opened the 55 billion cubic meter capacity Nord Stream
pipeline to deliver gas to Europe bypassing Ukraine.
Novak said Russia plans to uphold all its gas contracts and
commitments with EU clients, regardless of the political
situation in Ukraine. The energy minister also said Moscow plans
to continue negotiations with Kiev and Brussels.